Best way to peel off some deck laminate

[chris95040]

Hi everyone,

When cutting away a panel of deck laminate (to ultimately re-attach it to the core material underneath) is there an easy way to get a nice bevel on both the removed section and the adjacent, bordering laminate?

I've done this job before on another boat using a circular saw set to the laminate's depth to cut away the problem section. Using sanders to make the bevel, particularly on the bordering laminate that is still attached, seemed really clumsy.

I'm thinking a router with a really wide bevel bit could take the place of the circular saw but will make a ridiculous mess...

Anyone have any other ideas? This isn't cosmetic, btw, its all getting a fresh layer of glass and getting covered with teak.

[Reefmagnet]

I used a cordless circular saw preset to the correct depth to cut the laminate in a recent job. As for the bevel - assuming that your not intending to simply cut and shut it - in theory it should be 12:1 which nothing will do automatically. I use a 4" disk grinder with either a flap or carbide disk of 24 grit. Fast but extremely messy, although I have seen a setup where a vacuum hose was rigged to the grinder that allowed most of the dust to be immediately sucked up.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

The most precise way, is to make a jig for the tool being used, so that it cuts a precise bevel every time. Such is what we in fact used, on a router with a wide bit, in order to cut precise bevels in the edges of sheets of 3mm plywood, in order to prepare them to be scarfed together.


Barring a jig, take a protractor, & mark out, on the surface to be machined, a line where the bevel is to be machined to. Thus, with a steady hand, you end up with a fairly clean & precise mating surface.


One other tool, which is handy for machining bevels, is a power planer. As you can, again, fabricate a simple "jig" for it, in order to cut precise bevels. And, given it's cutting width, you can cut bevels to a decent depth. Using a tool, which is reasonably compact package.


Also, these Makita USA - Tool Details - 9031 can be very handy, in terms of getting into places which a lot of other tools can't, or can't be manuvered well enough to do the job.
Just use caution with them, as they have a learning curve akin to a Dremel Tool (SIC).

For faster scarfing:


http://www.amazon.com/WEST-SYSTEM-We.../dp/B003E1WK46



Using West's Scarffer tool.

[chris95040]

Thanks for the responses guys.

If I'm understanding that scarfing tool correctly, you need the part upright, off the boat, to scarf it, so it wouldn't make the scarfs on the bordering material that remains on the boat, yeah?

Also, regarding 12:1, that sounds like a lot, it seems I could get away with a bit less since it'll be bonded to the plywood core on the bottom, and covered with a new top skin over the repair? Curious what people think...

[Terra Nova]

12:1 is barely enough; that's only ~1" wide on 3/32" thick laminate.

I wouldn't try to use a scarphing tool, but rather a disc grinder.

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by chris95040

Thanks for the responses guys.

If I'm understanding that scarfing tool correctly, you need the part upright, off the boat, to scarf it, so it wouldn't make the scarfs on the bordering material that remains on the boat, yeah?

Also, regarding 12:1, that sounds like a lot, it seems I could get away with a bit less since it'll be bonded to the plywood core on the bottom, and covered with a new top skin over the repair? Curious what people think...

I used the old skin on my anchor well repair. It required extensive repair, but I figured it had the shape including the curvature of the deck. I don't have a photo of the bevel width, but I ground an approximately 1/4" thick deck to 2" either side. I did this by putting the laminate back in place "as cut" and then grinding the bevel in place immediately prior to tying it all back together. This is about 8:1, but I didn't want to extend past the non skid area and I used epoxy for the the repair so I'm confident it will hold up.

Grinding is dusty, but is quick and easy enough to do.

[mike d.]

I still don't understand why you all go from the top down. Yes it's easier, but the loss of deck strength, and the fairing process is so much harder. I did all mine from under the deck. A 4" angle grinder, is all you need. Use the guard as your depth control, cut the area, use a pry bar to get the glass loose, then chisel out the bad core, then re-core, and lay in a piece of stitch mat. It's that easy no worries about the weather, or cold!

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by mike d.

I still don't understand why you all go from the top down. Yes it's easier, but the loss of deck strength, and the fairing process is so much harder. I did all mine from under the deck. A 4" angle grinder, is all you need. Use the guard as your depth control, cut the area, use a pry bar to get the glass loose, then chisel out the bad core, then re-core, and lay in a piece of stitch mat. It's that easy no worries about the weather, or cold!

Not always possible. In the case above I'd have to climb inside the anchor well and at 200 pounds plus, that isn't happening!

Then there's also the hassle of removing the interior to get at the problem...

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

12:1 is barely enough; that's only ~1" wide on 3/32" thick laminate.

I wouldn't try to use a scarphing tool, but rather a disc grinder.

Posted the scarfer in response to Unciv's quoted post, which appears to have been deleted. No one in their right mind would try to use a scarfer on glass.

[chris95040]

Originally Posted by minaret

Posted the scarfer in response to Unciv's quoted post, which appears to have been deleted. No one in their right mind would try to use a scarfer on glass.

?? I wonder why his post was deleted. It was helpful!

I'm not looking to scarf the wood - all the core's staying put, barring any unpleasant surprises.

I'm wondering if there's an easier way to bevel the top laminate than hacking at it with a disc sander.

Seems a router could be a good approach, but not if I'm to achieve something like 12:1.

With the plywood core still very much intact, and a final layer of new glass going on top of the re-adhered original laminate, my gut tells me I could get away with less bevel rejoining the adjacent laminates (when butt joining the removed piece back with the rest of the deck).

But my gut isn't really an expert.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by chris95040

?? I wonder why his post was deleted. It was helpful!

I'm not looking to scarf the wood - all the core's staying put, barring any unpleasant surprises.

I'm wondering if there's an easier way to bevel the top laminate than hacking at it with a disc sander.

Seems a router could be a good approach, but not if I'm to achieve something like 12:1.

With the plywood core still very much intact, and a final layer of new glass going on top of the re-adhered original laminate, my gut tells me I could get away with less bevel rejoining the adjacent laminates (when butt joining the removed piece back with the rest of the deck).

But my gut isn't really an expert.

Use a Roloc grinder. Grinding a taper with a disc sander is for the uninitiated.

[mike d.]

I weigh 190 myself! Twisted myself in to the anchor locker, and did the work. I had to take out the side paneling, and overhead at the rear of the cabin on both sides, and then continue on into the lockers. Nobody said it was easy, but I was able to work in rain, and snow/winter. My surveyor said I should advertise. I'm not saying it's for every one. But I'd rather leave the deck intact than trying to fair it in, after. Also my deck is 1/4 glass then the core then a single layer underneath. It did not make sense to weaken the deck structure for a relatively easy repair from under.